The Federal Court of Australia has approved a historic settlement in the stolen wages class action (McDonald v Commonwealth of Australia [2025] FCA 380) brought on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who worked in the Northern Territory between 1933 and 1971 for little to no wages.
On the settlement approval application, William Roberts Lawyers represented Litigation Lending Services who funded this case and supported the lead applicant, Ms Minnie McDonald, and all group members in seeking compensation.
Under the terms of the settlement, the Commonwealth will pay up to $180 million to eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers or their surviving spouses and children. Additionally, up to $22 million will be allocated towards the legal costs of bringing the claim and administering the settlement, including an outreach program designed to assist eligible claimants in registering.
As part of the settlement, the Commonwealth Government also apologised to First Nations peoples for the suffering and injustice inflicted through the laws of the Commonwealth that denied them the right to fair pay and acknowledged Ms McDonald’s bravery in leading the class action. The resolution of this significant case marks another step forward in acknowledging and addressing the systemic injustice faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
Registration for participating in the settlement is open until 31 August 2025 – potential claimants or registrants should contact Shine Lawyers (lawyers for the class) and Shine Lawyers’ registration portal can be found here
This case exemplifies the vital role that litigation funding and class actions play in facilitating access to justice and supporting systemic change and follows similar landmark outcomes in Queensland and Western Australia. William Roberts Lawyers’ client, Litigation Lending Services, has demonstrated its commitment to funding social justice class actions across the country and ability to secure successful outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
